One's Secret Is Another's
by moonswirl
Summary: Gleekathon, day 1232: Now that she knows Quinn's secret, Tina knows what she needs to do, whether Quinn realizes it or not. - Chang Squared series


_Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, etc through 58th cycle. Now cycle 59!_

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**"One's Secret Is Another's"  
16yo Tina/Mike, Quinn, New Directions  
Chang Squared series  
_(all series now listed under the communities tab in my profile)_  
**

She had never known Quinn Fabray to get scared. But since they had returned to school after her birthday party, Tina had started seeing a whole new side of her fellow cheerleader. She guessed it was normal. She'd be spooked, too, if her enemy found out a secret that could wreck her life. She'd never wanted that to be the case. It was Quinn who had cast her in the role of the bad guy, which was in part Coach Sylvester's fault for making Tina Captain of the Cheerios.

And now Tina knew that Quinn was pregnant, which was just the kind of ammunition for her to get rid of the blonde. That was what Quinn was seeing. Tina had a different view of the situation. Contrary to what Quinn believed, she wasn't out to get her. If anything, she felt bad, wanted to help.

She hadn't told Mike, not yet. Until she knew whether or not she could or should, it was one thing she had to keep from him, but he would understand someday. Quinn was keeping her distance from her, too, which had once been a cause for relief. Now though she knew it only meant she was trying not to provoke her into revealing what she knew.

Tina wouldn't say anything; she'd even help her cover it up, so long as she was keeping it that way.

In Cheerios practice, she would see her growing tired more easily. If it got bad enough that she thought Quinn needed a break, she worked the distractions. Her favorites were to 'accidentally' trip one of the others, drawing the coach's attention to the 'screw up' and away from Quinn. While Sylvester chewed out the girl, Quinn had time to regroup. Tina would only go after those who'd earned it, from nastiness to actual laziness. When she couldn't resort to that, she'd go with questions and compliments. It made her look like a suck up, but she had her reasons.

Then one day in Glee Club she had noticed Quinn was looking a little 'green,' and she acted fast, raising her hand.

"Yes, Tina?" Mr. Schuester pointed at her.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Schue, I just got a text from Coach Sylvester," she held up her phone. "She wants to see Quinn and I. Right now."

"Figures," Will frowned, indicating for them to go. Tina stood and looked to see Quinn was moving to the door as well, confused and nauseated.

"What about us?" Santana called out, looking to Brittany.

"Nope, just us," Tina snapped, leading Quinn out the door. As soon as they were out in the hall, she looked to the blonde. "Can you make it to the bathroom?" Quinn took off running and Tina followed.

They made it to the bathroom, and Quinn had barely disappeared into the stall before Tina heard her retching. Luckily there was no one else there, and they stayed that way until Quinn finally re-emerged, white as a sheet.

"Better?" Tina asked.

"Do I look better?" Quinn chuckled, moving to the sink to try and wash out her mouth. Tina grabbed a paper towel, ran it under cold water and presented it to Quinn. "Thanks," her voice was small.

"Need anything?"

"I need to not feel like this," Quinn pressed the towel to her forehead.

"So you're…" she looked around before saying the next part, whispering. "You're keeping it?" she asked, and Quinn's eyes were fixed on the wall.

"I don't know what I'm doing, only that I'll carry it out," she admitted. Throwing out the paper towel and washing her hands, she sniffled a moment before turning to look at Tina. "How long before you out me?" Tina shook her head and laughed.

"Seriously? Are you that much in your own head right now that you can't see?"

"Can't see what?" Quinn frowned.

"I'm not going to tell, I've been helping you, in Cheerios with Sylvester, and just now in Glee Club. Newsflash, Coach didn't really text us, but I'd pretend like she did if I were you. I'm covering for you, I'm not telling on you." Quinn stared at her, dumbstruck.

"Tina, I… Why would you do that?"

"I'm Captain, aren't I?" she shrugged. "A captain looks out for her squad."

"Even ones who've been nothing but…"

"Challenging?" Tina offered.

"Sure, let's go with that," Quinn breathed, looking at her feet before looking back to Tina. "Thanks." She smiled to her, and Quinn eventually smiled back.

"We'll have to wait longer, if we're supposed to be with the Coach," Tina pointed out.

"Right," Quinn agreed. Tina hesitated.

"Have you told Finn yet?" Quinn was quiet, and Tina wished she hadn't asked.

"He… he doesn't know. I was going to tell him, but… You can't tell him either."

"Shouldn't he know? If he's… He is the father, isn't he?" Quinn blinked.

"Of course he is," she blurted out.

"Then he should know. If only so you're not alone in this."

"I thought I wasn't," Quinn looked at her, almost hopeful. Tina hadn't expected this vote of confidence.

"You're not," she promised.

"I will tell him, just not now. Knowing him, he'll run right to Puck, and then…" she shook her head. "We should get back now."

"Okay," Tina nodded, then, "If you ever need me, call or text."

"I will…" Quinn agreed, still as hesitant to trust, like Tina was working some long con to get her back.

Coming back to the choir room, they could feel eyes on them. Neither of them paid them any mind, though Tina did give Mike a look so he would know there was nothing wrong.

After they'd left Glee Club practice, Tina had followed Mike to his locker. "What did Sylvester want with you and Quinn?"

"Nothing, really. I think maybe she figures taking us away from Mr. Schue will make him remember we belong to her." She would apologize to him later for how easily that lie had rolled off her tongue.

"Wow…" Mike shook his head.

"I know," she nodded.

"Quinn looked kind of weird. Did she say anything to you?"

"No… not really," she shrugged. "Let's just forget it, alright?"

"Want to come over for dinner tonight?" he asked with a smile, and she smiled back.

"Sure, let's go."

As they left hand in hand, she could see Quinn at her own locker. Finn was with her, talking, though she looked like she hadn't listened to a single word of it. Instead her eyes had locked on Tina's.

She still looked as scared as Tina had seen her, but somewhere in there, a bit of relief had started to take root. As unlikely as it sounded, maybe they could be friends.

THE END

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******A/N: This is a one-shot ficlet, which means that signing up for story alert will not bring you any alerts.  
****In the event of a sequel, the story will be separate from this one. And as chapter stories go, they are  
************always clearly indicated as such [ex: "Days 204-210" in the summary] Thank you!**


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